Dear ttbn,

The number of sheep in NZ had decreased.
However in Australia there are 74 million sheep to
23.5 million people. A ratio of 3 to one - and growing.
(August 20th 2014).

//The number of sheep in NZ had decreased.
However in Australia there are 74 million sheep to
23.5 million people.//

But everyone know that it's the Welsh that root sheep. You guys need to start looking beyond your own backyard... there's a whole planet out there, and more besides.

ttbn, you are the odd man out, in your prudish Protestant society! Until the 16th Century men kissing men was the norm in British Society.

Cheek kissing is a ritual or social kissing gesture to indicate friendship, family relathionship, perform a greeting, to confer congratulations, to comfort someone, to show respect, or to indicate sexual or romantic interest.

Cheek kissing is very common in Southern, Central and Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, the Horn of Africa and Latin America.

In Maori traditional society you kiss the females on the cheek when you meet/introduced, including all females known or unknown to you. that can be on one cheek or both. For men you place you nose against theirs with eyes wild open and no smile, for about 5 to 10 seconds. After that names can be exchanged if unknown (Maori are very good at remembering names). People you are very close to, after the initial greeting of cheek kissing or nose touching is followed by a close embrace and often cheek kissing of men and women, and in the case of women kissing on the lips as well, this could last 30 seconds to a minute or more. Often people cry with emotion at this time. When a group arrive protocol dictates you meet every single person in that group, starting with the women and children, then the men, no matter how large the group is, it could even be a couple of hundred people, and the introductions are in an ordered fashion.

ttbn, how are you at kissing dead people? Even the ones you don't personally know. if that's no problem then sheep should be a breeze. And what about those owners who kiss their dogs, cats and birds? I draw the line at goldfish, too sloppy!

However in Australia there are 74 million sheep to
23.5 million people. A ratio of 3 to one - and growing.

What is Barnyard and his cow cocky supporters upto? That proves he's a Kiwi, submit that evidence to the High court.

The High Court chucked out the challenge to Money Bags Malcolm's survey! That will open the flood gates to all sorts of survey's being conducted by the fed's. Once this SSM survey is out of the road, expect a Malcolm inspired survey on all sorts of things.

What is your favorite brand of Washing Powder? Answer, anyone that doesn't cost $122,000,000 a packet!

Paul1405 "That will open the flood gates"

And that's the major reason people should vote no.

Just as courts sometimes give a severe sentence to set a precedent and send a message to the community, we need to say no, not because it's so terrible in and of itself, but to discourage *more* activism by *other* emboldened rights activists.

A no will also send a message to politicians to grow some balls and stop wasting time and money pandering to *all* petulant narcissistic rights activists.

When the next bunch of pushy bullies demand "reform", the pollies can refer to this result and say "Buzz off. Get a life".

That’s not a good reason to vote ‘no’, Shockadelic.

<<Just as courts sometimes give a severe sentence to set a precedent and send a message to the community, we need to say no, not because it's so terrible in and of itself, but to discourage *more* activism by *other* emboldened rights activists.>>

Courts may hand down harsh sentences to convicted persons to send a message, but 'general' deterrence is one of the aims of sentencing. Punishing one group to send a message to another group, on the other hand, just because they share an interest, is irrational and unfair. It would also be an exercise in futility if (unlike the aims of sentencing) it wasn't an organised and widely-understood and agreed upon move.

Which brings me to another problem with your analogy: gay people have done nothing to deserve the harsh 'sentence' in this instance.